pho·​nics | \ ˈfä-niks How to pronounce phonics (audio) , sense 1 is also ˈfō-\

Definition of phonics

1 : the science of sound : acoustics
2 : a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables

How Do You Teach phonics?

In the field of beginning reading, there are two basic schools of thought in the U.S. today. One emphasizes "whole language" teaching, which relies on teaching a lot of reading; the other emphasizes phonics, teaching how letters and syllables correspond to sounds. Phonics instruction may be especially difficult in English, since English has the most difficult spelling of any Western language. Consider the various ways we create the f *sound in *cough, photo, *and *giraffe, or the sh sound in special, issue, vicious, *and *portion, or the k sound in tack, quite, and shellac, and how we pronounce the o in do, core, lock, *and *bone, or the ea in lead, ocean, idea, and early. Teaching phonics obviously isn't an easy job, but it's probably an important one.

First Known Use of phonics

circa 1684, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for phonics

phonics

noun

English Language Learners Definition of phonics

: a method of teaching people to read and pronounce words by learning the sounds of letters, letter groups, and syllables

phonics

noun
pho·​nics | \ ˈfä-niks How to pronounce phonics (audio) \

Kids Definition of phonics

: a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the usual sound of letters, letter groups, and syllables
pho·​nics | \ ˈfän-iks, 1 is also ˈfō-niks\

Medical Definition of phonics

1 : the science of sound : acoustics
2 : a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables

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